Alternate Loves 1: Secrets and Lies
by lieutenants-lady
Summary: (AU)(SJ) Colonel Jack O'Neill is recalled to active duty, but what will this mean for his relationship with his new wife, Captain Samantha Carter?
1. COTG 1

Hi!

This takes place during the pilot episode, "Children of the Gods." Spoilers for that episode.

This is the first in a series of fics that will explore the relationship between Sam and Jack in Alternate Realities. As you can probably tell I LOVE alternate reality stories. The fics will be unrelated, and several chapters long. I'm calling them the Alternate Loves Series.

First off, a big thank you to my beta G.Eliot, who is helping me with my SG1 fics, even though she doesn't watch the programme. I'll make a true believer out of you yet, you geliot you!! (he he he.)

Disclaimer: I dont own the characters or events depiced in this fic. (If I did, then Sam and JAck would have been together since The Broca Divide, or at the very least Solitudes.) I gain no profit from wriing this. It's just for fun

All words in _italics_ are thoughts.

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God, the stars were beautiful tonight. So bright and clear in the cloudless night sky. Jack adjusted his telescope again to get a clearer picture. Brightly colored gasses became iridescently illuminated as they swirled about tiny pinpricks of light, which appeared to be the very manifestation of eternity. (Thank my beta for that description. She has a way with words. You rock!!)

"_I wish Sam was here,"_ Jack thought to himself, thinking of his new wife. He still couldn't believe it. Sam Carter…. No. Technically, she was Captain Samantha Carter. Captain Carter was his wife. That same smart, beautiful, amazing woman was his. He still couldn't believe his good luck.

Their wedding three weeks ago had been low-key, as had their entire relationship. Jack didn't want anyone to accuse Sam of being in a relationship with him because of his connections. Hell, he was _retired_, for crying out loud, which was why the regs didn't apply.

(A/N I have NO CLUE if the regs apply or do not apply to ex-military personnel, but it's my universe!! Here, they don't, ok? Plus, I'm Irish, and I haven't a clue about the USAF, apart from officers of different ranks not being in relationships.)

But, Jack knew the military, and how their minds worked. And he knew that people would put two and two together, and come up with thirteen!! He didn't want anyone to bad-mouth his Sam for her relationship with him.

He still couldn't believe it._ His_ Sam.

His Sam.

Much as she would deny the label, she was his, and had been ever since the moment they had met on the plane back from Washington just over a year ago…

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Jack had gone to D.C. to report on the Stargate mission at the Pentagon, and to resign his commission again. This time for good.

On the plane back, he had been seated beside a pretty blonde woman, who was reading a book on astrophysics. Boring!!! So, with no one to chat to, Jack did what he always did when he was bored….

He took out his gameboy. First though, he flashed a charming smile at the flight attendant, and she told him it was alright to use it. (The charmer!)

After exclaiming out loud about Mario's unfair death for the second time, he noticed that the woman was watching him over the top of her book, and grinning.

"Want to try?" he offered, grinning back at her. She blushed slightly at being caught, and shook her head.

"No thank you," she answered sweetly. "I can never work them, much to my nephew's disgust. I'm all thumbs with gameboys."

"That's the point," Jack teased her good-naturedly. She smiled back at him, and went back to her book, until the plane hit a small patch of turbulence and shuddered a little. Jack heard a gasp beside him, and noticed that the woman now had a death grip on her book.

"Are you ok?" he asked her, worried. She was going awfully pale. She threw him a wane smile.

"Yeah," she replied. "It's just that I don't like flying unless I'm in the pilot's seat."

Jack was surprised.

"You're a pilot?" he asked her, shift in his seat so he was facing her. She nodded and turned towards him, her fear and her book now forgotten as they began to chat.

"I am a pilot. I'm Air Force. Captain Samantha Carter." she introduced herself, holding out her hand for him to shake.

"Get out. Me too! Well, I was until," he checked his watch, "seventeen hours, twenty three minutes ago. Colonel Jack O'Neill. Retired," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"It's nice to meet you, Sir," Sam replied automatically.

"Ah!" Jack interrupted, holding up a finger for silence, "I'm retired Captain. Lose the 'Sirs'."

Sam smiled. "Well, in that case, call me Sam, not captain." Jack smiled back at her. She really had a gorgeous smile.

And so it began. They had chatted the entire way back to Colorado. Jack found himself telling her things that he hardly spoken of with anyone, things like his divorce from Sara five years previously, and Charlie's fatal traffic accident. Sam was kind and supportive, and Jack began to really like her.

She, in turn, opened up, telling him about her mother and her uneasy relationship with her father. He found out that she lived in D.C., working in the Pentagon, and that she was heading to Colorado for a few weeks to stay in the house that her grandmother left her in her will when she died a few years before. The candid manner she adopted while speaking with him, made Jack suspect that she too sensed a connection between them.

All too soon, the plane landed on the runway with a bump. Both were surprised at the sudden landing, as they had been deep in discussion about the scientific plausibility of Star Trek. (A/N I'm sorry. I really can't go one fic without mentioning it at least once. It's a sickness…)

"Well Sam," Jack said as they stood to take down their bags from overhead, "It's been nice talking to you. Try to enjoy your break from work, even if you were ordered down here on pain of being locked out of your office. You need to relax more Sam."

"Thanks Jack," Sam replied sarcastically, and then grinned cheekily. "Enjoy your retirement."

"Oh I intend to. Right now, I'm thinking of a little cabin in Minnesota, where the fish grow 'this big'!" he exclaimed, holding his arms out as wide as he could.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah!!"

"Anyway, it's been great talking to you. Maybe I'll see you around the Springs."

"Count on it Captain!" Jack replied, sauntering away.

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In fact, it had been less than two days later when they had ran in to each other again, literally. Jack was strolling in the park, balancing a cup of coffee in one hand, trying to root his yo-yo out of his pocket with the other hand. Not looking where he was going, he tripped over a pair of outstretched legs that blocked his path, hot coffee splashing in all directions.

"Goddamnit! I'm so sorry, miss… Sam!" he finally looked up. She looked just as surprised to see him. God, she looked pretty. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but to Jack, she looked like a model from the pages of a fashion magazine.

"Jack! It's great to see you again," she told him, dusting herself off as she stood. He looked amazing! Even better in the sunlight. His brown eyes were alive with mischief, and he had an apologetic, lop-sided smile on his face.

"Sorry about that Sam," Jack apologized. "Did I get you with the coffee?"

"No, I got clean away," Sam assured him.

"Still… I'm going to get another cup. I'm gonna get you one too to make up for nearly burning your leg off!!"

"Honestly Jack," Sam protested, "You didn't even get near me." But secretly, she loved the fact that he was so concerned over her.

"Ah! I'll be right back."

Jack turned and strode towards the vendor near the entrance, Sam watching his every move.

_Will I tell him that I know who he is?_ she wondered. _That I work on the Stargate programme in D.C. and that I know he was on that mission?_

_No_, she decided finally_. I won't tell him I know about the last mission. Maybe I'll just mention something about hearing his name in passing_. _After all,_ she thought, _the man is a decorated war hero._

Jack smiled at her as he returned with her coffee, and all thoughts of alien worlds flew from her head. They both settled back onto the blanket that Sam had originally been sitting on and chatted, just watched the world go by.

It had seemed natural for them to go to dinner after that… and then for drinks… then back to Jack's to watch the Simpsons (AtJack's suggestion of course. Sam didnt mind really. She just wanted to spend time with him)… then for breakfast the next morning…

Before she knew what was happening, Sam's little break was up, and she realized that she had spent most of it with Jack. Neither wanted to part. They felt a strong bond between them, and both wanted to explore it more.

Within three weeks of her return to the D.C., Jack was up for a visit. Of course, they had been on the phone every day before that. Sam knew when he came up to see her that she was in love. Deeply in love. This man was a hardened warrior, but he had a childlike quality about him that she found endearing. She had never felt this way before.

And Jack… well, he knew that he was in love with this woman ever since that day in the park. It had been almost instantaneous. With Sara, they had been friends first, and love had grown between them. But with Sam… it was like fire! He loved her so much that it hurt to be without her.

On their nine-month anniversary, Jack proposed, and Sam immediately accepted. They were married on the one-year anniversary of the day they had met.

His Sam was a workaholic, which left little time for friends. Jack had isolated a lot of people after Charlie had died, and he had no living family. So, the only people who had attended their wedding were Sam's brother Mark and his wife and kids.

Her dad, General Jacob Carter, was away on assignment, and couldn't make it to the wedding. That didn't mean he had shirked his duties though, and had threatened Jack accordingly, albeit over the phone, promising dire and painful consequences if Jack hurt his little girl.

Sam had decided to move to Colorado, requesting a transfer to a science station about thirty miles away from Jack's house. She moved in with him, and was planning to rent out the house that her grandmother had left her. But for the moment, it was her retreat, and it housed her lab so Jack didn't mind that she spent so much time there.

And so far, life had been perfect, at least for Jack. He was still convinced that he'd wake up one day, and discover that this was all a dream, and that his beautiful young wife was the result of his imagination and too much salsa before bed. He felt guilty that Sam re-arranged her life so much for him, but Sam never once complained. She told him he was worth the trouble, but Jack felt the jury was still out on that one.

Jack re-adjusted the telescope again, and resisted the urge to glance at his watch. He hoped Sam would be home soon: he wanted her to see the stars tonight. They were a sight to behold.

He was startled out of his day-dream by a low cough from behind him. He was surprised, but tried not to show it. He hadn't even heard the car pull up.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill?" a low male voice asked from behind him.

_Defiantly not Sam._ Aloud, he answered

"Retired."

"I'm Major Samuels," The Voice informed him. Jack still couldn't bring himself to turn around. He really just wasn't that interested.

Well, maybe a little.

"Air Force?" Jack asked him, his curiosity being piqued against his better judgment.

"Yes Sir. I'm the General's Executive Officer."

"A little piece of advice Major," Jack began, thinking back to his mission on Abydos, "Get re-assed to NASA. That's where all the actions gonna be… out there." He adjusted the telescope again, focusing on the gas cloud this time.

His nonchalance and advice seemed to throw the young Major a bit.

"I'm, uh" he stammered, but got control of himself quickly, "I'm under orders to bring you to see General Hammond, Sir."

"Never heard of him," Jack replied off hand, intending to piss the Major off. There was something about him that Jack just didn't like, and he'd only met the man two minutes ago. He seemed very… smug. Yeah, that was it. He was too smug and smarmy for Jack's peace of mind.

And Jack succeeded in his aim. Samuels' voice had a bit of an edge on it, an 'I-told-you-so' quality about it when he replied.

"He replaced General West. He says it's important. It has to do with the Stargate."

Now that did get Jack's attention. He slowly turned to face the Major, but didn't really see him.

He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling that his life was about to drastically change, and that it might not necessarily be for the better.

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Major Samuels glanced in the rear-view mirror at Colonel O'Neill as his colleague Major Harrison drove back to the base.

There was something about this O'Neill guy that he just didn't like. He sensed that O'Neill was the type of guy who would show little respect for authority, something that Samuels' placed above almost everything else.

A cell phone chirped, breaking into Samuel's thoughts. In the mirror, he saw O'Neill reach into his leather bomber jacket and take out a small cell phone. He saw O'Neill's face light up into a smile as he looked at the number on the screen, and he flipped the phone open.

"Hey Babe," he spoke into the small phone. Samuels saw him listen to whoever was on the line for a moment.

"No, it's Ok. I understand. Honestly! In fact, I was just about to call you. I had to go out…. Where? Oh, just out. I'll explain later. No honey, you stay in you're house tonight. You're going to be working late anyway; you might as well stay near your lab… Seriously, I don't mind… Now, go do some work, you slacker!.... Only kidding…. I know… I will… I love you too… See you tomorrow… OK… Bye."

Samuels cleared his throat.

"Um Sir? You know that where we're going is classified, don't you? You won't be able to tell anyone anything."

"I know that Major," Jack answered derisively. "I did spend the last ten years of my life on classified ops, you know. I know how to concoct a good cover story when I need to."

"Of course Sir. Sorry sir." Samuels felt abashed.

Somehow, he knew that he and Jack O'Neill would never get along.

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I have the next few chapters written, so if you want me to continue with this, let me know by pressing that little purple button.

If you do want me to go on, I'll be re-writing a few episodes so they have more of a Sam/Jack slant. I'll also be writing more from Children of the Gods. But I won't be doingevery minute of an episode, or even every episode, so it wont get boring. (Hopefully)


	2. COTG 2

Oh my god! So many reviews!! I think I passed out for a minute there. Thank you all so much. I never expected such a reaction. Thank you.

A big thank you to everyone who reviwed, especially Beatrice Otter, who gave me the low down on the regs. Thank you for taking the time to write that.

My thanks again to G.Eliot, who yes is a geliot. But in the nicest possible way. (I called my sister that today. You should have seen the look of pure confusion on her face! LOL Classic!)

Anyway, the reason that chapter two is up so soon is that I had a load of pages written, but it was too long so I cut it down into three chapters.

And don't worry; the briefing room scene is next, with a few tweaks from me.

So, on with the show...

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"Consider yourself recalled to active duty Colonel."

The words bounced around in Jack's head as the two Majors drove him home again.

When General Hammond had first said those words, he had felt elated. The prospect of being back in saddle, so to speak, appealed to him. As much as he loved retirement, he occasionally found it dull. He had been an active man ever since he joined the Air Force in his late teens, and as much as he liked playing the house husband to Sam, there was only so much Simpson's one could watch. Kawalski's wide grin and happy handshake were ego boosters, and they had walked out of the gate-room.

Then, it had hit him… Sam.

If he was now in active duty, he outranked her… by three ranks. What was going to happen to them? He tried to get to General Hammond to talk to him, but Samuels had blocked his way.

"I'm to escort you home, Sir" Samuels told him.

"I know. I just need to speak to the General. If you'll…" Jack tried to get past the Major, but Samuels again blocked his path.

"General Hammond is on the phone with the President at the moment, Sir. And it seems like he is going to be a while. You may speak to him before the briefing tomorrow."

"But…"

"Sir…!"

"OK. Fine." Jack had grumbled and followed Samuels to the surface.

Now, he sat in the back of the car, trying to think of what he was going to tell Sam about being recalled to active service. He couldn't tell her about the Gate, no matter how much he wanted to. He knew she'd give her right arm to work on it, but he couldn't.

Besides, Sam was so smart. She knew he'd never make a decision like this without discussing it with her. He knew he'd have to come up with a really good cover story to explain his recall.

"We're here, Sir." Major Harrison called out form the driver's seat as they pulled up outside Jack's house.

"Of course, thanks." Jack replied absentmindedly as he climbed out of the car. The two officers drove away, and coming to a decision, Jack went in to his house and got the keys to his truck

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The drive to Sam's house was short and uneventful, as it was 01.10am on a Monday morning and most sane people were in bed, asleep. He let himself in the front door of Sam's house, closing it softly behind him and crept up the stairs. The ground floor was in darkness, and Jack didn't want to startle his wife if she was asleep.

He needn't have worried though, because as soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he saw the light shining under the door of her lab. Jack knocked softly and pushed open the door.

Sam was looking into a microscope, her laptop by her side filled with equations.

"Sam?" Jack said, trying to get her attention without disturbing her too much. "Sam!" he said louder when he got no response. Sam jumped a little at the sudden loudness and whirled around.

"Jack! What are you doing here?" she asked, walking over to kiss him lightly. "I thought you had to go out. What's up?"

"Um, Sam. I need to talk to you." Jack began. "Can we go grab a beer or something out of your fridge?"

Sam narrowed her eyes at him. Something was up. Jack was acting strangely, even for him. He seemed… nervous, unsure of himself and that was a red flag for her.

"Ok Jack." Sam agreed and they left the lab together. "But, I want coffee not beer. I still have work to do."

"Sam. It's a quarter one in the morning. You have work in the morning. You gotta get some rest." Jack told her as he slung an arm over her shoulders and herded her towards her kitchen.

Sam blinked in surprise. "It's after one?" she exclaimed, surprised.

"Yep. Baby, you need to get some rest." They entered the kitchen together and Jack gently pushed Sam onto a stool as took two beers out of the fridge and handed one to Sam. She wrinkled her nose at it, but then shrugged and took a drink. Jack took a long pull of his beer and turned to face the window. Sam studied her husband's back, her concern growing.

"Ok Jack, what's wrong?" she asked him. "You're starting to worry me. First off, you tell me that you have to go somewhere, but won't say where. Then you come to my house at quarter past one in the morning and…"

"Sam!" Jack spoke suddenly, interrupting her. "I've been recalled. As of twelve thirty this morning, I have been recalled to active duty. I'm not retired any more."

He still faced the window, watching his wife's reaction in the clear glass. He saw her face pale, and then suffuse with colour and she slumped down on the stool, her normally perfect posture curved in shock.

Silence reigned in the kitchen, as Sam digested the startling news. Jack was a Colonel again. He was her superior. He… The phone call she had gotten earlier raced through her head.

"Jack, it has to do with the Stargate, doesn't it?" she asked him. Jack spun around to face her.

"What? What do you know about the Stargate?"

(A/N I know in season two's 'Secrets', Jack is much more controlled when the reporter comes up to him, but this is his wife we're talking about here. He's allowed to be a bit more emotional. At least, he is in my universe.)

"Jack," Sam slid off the stool and walked towards him. "General Hammond called me tonight. He told me what happened. He also said that he was recalling his experts on the Stargate. I just thought he meant Kawalski and Ferretti. I didn't think he meant you. I'm right though, aren't I? You're going through again?"

Jack slid his arms around her waist.

"How do you know about this? How do you know General Hammond? Why washe calling you?"

It was truth time now, but Sam found herself reluctant to tell him that she knew about his involvement in the programme. He could be mad at her for not telling him

"Jack," Sam took a deep breath and faced him, "I wasn't reassigned to Roosevelt Research Science Station. I've been working on the Stargate Programme for three years, that's two years before you went through. I was trying to get it to work. And when Dr. Jackson did get it to work, I was in charge of trying to get it to work on different co-ordinates. I have been transferred to Cheyenne Mountain. I start tomorrow."

Jack stood in silence, soaking this all in. He could be mad at her for not telling him that she knew about the gate, but he knew how sensitive that information was. If there was anything he understood, it was classified information.

"Well, I probably won't be your direct superior. I mean, you're a scientist. You…" Jack trailed off as he saw the look in Sam's eyes.

"You're coming through with us, aren't you?" he asked her, his heart sinking.

"Yes, I am. What are we going to do Jack?"

"Well, I'll talk to the General tomorrow. It's best to be honest with him from the beginning."

"We'll talk to the General tomorrow" Sam corrected him and Jack gave her a wane smile

"What about the rest of the base staff?" she asked him. "What do we tell them?" Sam didn't say, but Jack knew she was worried about what people would say if word got around that she was married to the Colonel. She wanted to be known in her own right, not just as 'The Colonel's Wife'.

"Well, I suggest we act like we've never met. That way, people will react to you as you, not as my wife. Because, as unfair as it is, people would judge you for being married to me."

"OK. I'm not sure about this, but I'll go with you on this one… for now. Just until we talk to the General."

"Alright." Jack dropped his arms from around Sam's waist, and stepped back.

"I'd better go." He told her. "I still have to get my uniform ready for tomorrow."

"Right. And it's probably best if I stay here tonight. So we won't be leaving the same house in the morning." Sam forced the words out.

This was wrong. For the first time in since they met, they felt uncomfortable with each other. Jack couldn't stand it, and stepped forward to pull her close.

"Listen Sam. I love you. I always will. Nothing and nobody is ever gonna change that. If it comes down to it, I won't go through, ok?"

Then he kissed her quickly, and was out of the house before she could respond.

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So, what do you think of chapter two?

I'll upload chapter three in a few days, but after that my updates will be slower cos I dont have them written yet.

Hugs and kisses

Lieutenants lady

And, don't worry G.Eliot. I haven't forgotten my Malcolm. (As if I could forget our boys!) In fact, you'll be happy to know that I'll be working on the next chapter of The Girl All the Bad Guys Want right after I upload this, ok? You should have it in a few days.


	3. COTG 3

Hiya!!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'm bowled over, seriously. I never expected this response. I just want to say, thank you all. You rock!!

This has always been one of my favourite scenes from Stargate. And as much as I love it, I had to change it a little. (Ducks as fanatics throw rotten fruit and veg at her for messing with cannon) Forgive me!

Oh, and I'll try to keep the A/N's to a minimum, ok? I know that pisses some people off.

Anyway, this chapter is a Hammond's eye view of the infamous briefing.

Enjoy!!

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General George Hammond checked his file again, and then stood. He left his office and entered the connecting briefing room. Almost everyone was there, even Colonel O'Neill, who snapped a parade ground salute when he entered the room. No Captain Carter though. Hmmm.

"Gentlemen, take your seats," he told the assembled crowd. "Where's Captain Carter?" he asked Major Samuels, who was seated next to him.

"Just arriving, Sir." Samuels answered. Hammond had mixed feelings about the major. He seemed a good man, but a bit of a suck-up. "I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission, Colonel," he told O'Neill when the Colonel looked up from his file.

Hammond took almost sinful pleasure in knowing the fact that Sam Carter was a woman. O'Neill was a good guy, and an excellent soldier. But he was a soldier, not one of the great thinkers of the century, like Carter was. It was going to be interesting when the two met.

"I'd prefer to put together my own team, Sir." O'Neill answered truthfully. "I'm positive Carter's great. But Sir, I'd prefer to have a team that I've worked with before."

"Not on this mission. Sorry. Carter's our expert on the Stargate."

O'Neill sighed, a hint of annoyance evident. Kawalski picked up on this, and attempted to lighten the mood of the room.

"Where's he transferring from?" he asked eagerly. Hammond liked Kawalski. He was O'Neill's 2IC during the first mission, and it seemed as if he was taking up that position again with ease.

"_She_ is transferring from the Pentagon," a feminine voice answered from the doorway. Everyone turned to see the young blond woman standing in the doorframe, and Hammond was amused to see that Kawalski and Ferretti's jaws nearly hit the table.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill." She stated as she walked forward, and snapped a salute. "Captain Samantha Carter, reporting, Sir."

Before O'Neill could say anything, Kawalski butted in.

"But of course, you go by Sam."

"You don't have to worry Major," Carter retorted. "I played with dolls when I was a kid."

"Oh, G.I. Joe?" he asked, his face a picture of innocence.

"No. Major Matt Mason."

"Oh. Who?" Kawalski asked Major Ferretti, who was seated beside him.

"Major Matt Mason. Astronaught doll." He clarified. "Did you have that cool little backpack that made him fly?"

Carter smirked at him, and took her seat. Hammond decided to stop things before they got started.

"Let's get started. Colonel?" Now, the real fun was about to begin.

"Thank you General. For those of you on your first trip through the Stargate, you should be prepared what to expect…"

"I've practically memorized your report from the first mission." Carter interrupted. "I'd like to think that I've been preparing for this mission all my life."

Kawalski obviously found her eagerness amusing, and asked the Captain

"I think what the Colonel is saying is: have you ever pulled out of a simulated bombing run in an F-16 at 8 plus g's?"

He and Ferretti were both floored when she replied simple, "Yes." They looked to Colonel O'Neill for support, and Hammond couldn't help but be amused by how flustered they were. They both probably thought that she was a dumb blonde, but Hammond knew that Carter was so much smarter than the both of them combined.

"Well," Kawalski began again, "It's way worse than that."

Ferretti decided to try his hand at intimating the Captain, and told her that "By the time you get to the other side, you're frozen stiff. It's like you've been through a blizzard, naked."

Hammond would have intervened if he hadn't known Captain Carter more than capable of taking care of herself. And she didn't disappoint.

"That's a result of the de-compression your body undergoes in the millisecond required for re-constitution."

"Oh God, more technobabble," O'Neill sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Another scientist. General, please?" he implored.

"Theoretical astrophysicist." Carter informed him.

"Which means…?"

"Which means she is smarter than you are Colonel, especially in matters relating to the Stargate." Hammond told him.

Kawalski and Ferretti nearly chocked trying not to laugh out loud, but they were both silenced by the death glare O'Neill sent their way.

Carter was not finished though.

"Colonel, I was studying the Gate technology for two years before Daniel Jackson made it work, and before you both went through. I should have gone through then," she informed him. "But you and your _men_" she glanced at Kawalski and Ferretti as she said that "might as well accept that I am going through this time."

"Well Doctor…" O'Neill began, only to have Carter cut him off again.

"It is appropriate to refer to someone by their rank, not their salutation. You should call me Captain, not Doctor."

"Captain Carter's assignment to this unit is not an option, it's an order." Hammond told O'Neill.

"I'm an Air Force officer just like you are Colonel," she told her CO. "And just because my reproductive organs are on the inside, instead of the outside, doesn't mean I can't handle anything you can handle."

Kawalski and Ferretti looked faintly impressed by Carter, and looked to Colonel O'Neill to see where he would take it. Hammond was reminded of a tennis match, watching two players volley back and forth.

"Oh, this has nothing to do with you being a woman," Colonel 'Neill assured her, sliding into his seat. "I like women, and I have known many fine female officers. I just have a little problem with scientists. Bad history," he explained.

"Colonel, I logged over 100 hours over enemy airspace during the Gulf War," Carter assured him. "Is that tough enough for you? Or are we going to have to arm wrestle?"

Hammond frowned. He could sense a spark between the two officers, a tension, something that the regs didn't allow. Thankfully, this was only going to be a short mission.

Samuels coughed to get people's attention, and Hammond had to suppress the glare of annoyance. It was just getting interesting between Carter and O'Neill.

"I hate to throw a damper on your enthusiasm," he told the assembled crowd, "But I still say that the safest, most logical way to deal with this is to bury the Stargate, just like the Ancient Egyptians did. Make it impossible for the aliens to return. It's the only way to eliminate the threat."

"Except it won't work," O'Neill told him.

"It worked before," Hammond reminded him.

"They know what we are now," O'Neill explained. "They know how far we've come._ We're_ a threat to _them_. They've got ships, General. Ra had one as big as the great pyramids. They don't _need _the Stargate to get here. They can do it the old fashioned way. Now, with all due respect to Mr. Glass-Is-Half-Empty over here," O'Neill gestured to Samuels, and Hammond saw Carter grin. He'd really have to keep an eye on those two. "Don't you think we should use the Stargate to do a little reconnaissance before they come back, again?"

Hammond was persuaded, for the time being.

"I'll give you exactly 24 hours to either return or send a message through," he told O'Neill. "No Kleenex boxes please. Otherwise, we'll assume the worst and send a bomb through."

Hammond stood and went straight through into his office, therefore missing the look that his two newest officers exchanged.

………………

Jack shuffled his papers, and Sam straightened her uniform as the others filed out of the room, until at last they were alone. Jack looked at the closed door to Hammond's office, and back at his wife.

"You ready?" he asked her. She was clenching and unclenching her fists in a nervous habit, and Jack was dying to reach out and sooth her. But he didn't dare. He didn't want someone to walk in and see them. Then Sam's credibility would be shot. Jack knew the gossip mill would grind over-time, and insinuate that Sam only got the job because of their relationship.

"Ok. I'm ready." She told him, and they both walked towards the door.

………………………

Hammond had just seated himself when he heard a knock on the door connecting his office to the briefing room.

"Enter." He called out, and was surprised when Jack O'Neill stuck his top half in the doorway.

"You have a minute General?" he asked, seeming nervous.

"Of course Colonel, but shouldn't you be preparing for your mission to…" Hammond trailed off as O'Neill disappeared from the doorframe, and Captain Carter preceded him into the office.

"Can I help you Captain, Colonel?" Hammond asked the pair. They stood stiffly in front of his desk with their hands clasped behind their backs. Neither spoke for a moment until Hammond sighed his impatience.

"Sir," O'Neill began. "We feel it is our duty to inform you that there is a relationship existing between Captain Carter and myself."

Hammond was surprised. He had seen the spark between them, but he never expected them to be in a relationship. But thinking back, it made sense.

When Captain Carter had entered the room, she had immediately known who the Colonel was. And, they had never missed a beat when sparring, as if they were used to coming up with quick answers and quips in each others presence.

But more importantly, they never lied. They never insinuated that they hadn't met before. They never introduced themselves to each other either.

"So, you're telling me that the two of you are dating?" Hammond asked them.

"No Sir." Captain Carter told him. "We're married General."

"Married!?!" Hammond exclaimed. My God, that had been unexpected.

"Sir," O'Neill began, "As you know, it is not against the regulations for an ex-military officer to begin a relationship with an officer of a lower rank. Sam and I met after I retired from the service."

"Seventeen hours and twenty three minutes after you retired Jack," Carter joked, and Jack smiled at the reminder. Hammond was suddenly struck by the affection between the two, and wondered how he had not seen before.

"OK, this I wasn't expecting," Hammond told the couple in front of him.

"Sir, we both have exemplary records." O'Neill began. "I think we can both be trusted to keep our personal relationship out of this mission."

"That's not up to you Colonel," Hammond snapped. "I don't get it! How come it is not on your records? Either of yours?"

"Well, we only got married three weeks ago General." Carter told him. "I'd say those files are a bit older than that. Besides, we've always kept the relationship quiet sir; because Jack thought that people would think that I only got several commissions because of my relationship with him, even though he was retired."

"Come on Sam, you've told me how hard it was for you sometimes in training, and in some of the jobs you've had. I just didn't want to add to it."

Hammond took a deep breath, and splayed his hands on the table.

"Does your father know about this?" Hammond asked Sam.

She smiled a little. "He does Sir. Unfortunately, he couldn't come to the wedding."

"He did however, threaten me accordingly," Jack quipped, causing Sam to giggle.

"So giggling Captain," Jack ordered her teasingly, causing her to giggle even more. They both seemed to remember where they were at that point, and snapped to attention again.

"OK," Hammond told the pair, "I'm going to talk to the President about this. For the moment, you are both on the mission. Go gear up."

"Yes Sir." Carter said, and turned to leave. She stopped when she realized that her husband wasn't coming with her.

Jack was still standing in front of Hammonds' desk.

"Something on your mind, Colonel?" Hammond asked him.

"Well Sir, after you've spoken to the President, and if we are both still on for the mission, could you please not inform the rest of the base of our relationship?"

"Care to explain Colonel?" Hammond asked. He could see the hurt flashing in Carter's eyes as she turned around.

"Ashamed to be married to me Jack?" she asked, her tone conveying the depth of her hurt.

"God no!" Jack exclaimed, moving towards her and grasping her hand in his own. "Never that. You know how I feel about you. It's just, you saw those guys out there in the briefing room. Can you imagine how much more of a hard time they'd give you if they found out? You'd never have any peace, and after this mission when you are stationed here and I'm gone again, the gossip and comments will follow you. It's a pain in the ass, but it's true."

"Colonel, Captain," Hammond interrupted, "Gear up. I have to speak to the President about this. I'll inform you of his decision before you move out."

The two officers left his office, and Hammond put his head in his hands.

He had defiantly not been expecting this when he accepted this mission.

He had a feeling this was going to be an interesting command.

……..

Sam strapped on her helmet as she walked out of the Women's locker rooms. She saw the rest of the men on the team exit their locker room down the hall, and walked to meet them.

"Amazing day!" Kawalski joked as she joined them. "A woman who can get ready in less than two hours."

Sam bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She'd heard enough of those jokes to last her a lifetime when she was in the academy, thank you very much.

"Relax Carter," Jack told her as he caught her eye, silently giving her his support.

"Colonel O'Neill, Captain Carter?" The group entered the corridor to the gateroom, and found Hammond stand there, blocking their way. "Can I speak to you both for a moment?" he asked in a tone that made it obvious that it was an order.

Jack motioned for the others to go ahead and the rest walked on, until Sam, Jack and Hammond were alone in the corridor.

"I've spoken to the President," Hammond told them. "And while he, like myself, does not like the fact that you kept this relationship a secret, he recognizes that you are both vital to this mission; Colonel, for your experience, and Captain, for your technical knowledge. So you have a go. However, I expect you act at all times with conduct becoming an officer. I want complete professionalism people," he warned.

"Yes Sir!" they both saluted him.

"Oh, and Colonel?" Hammond continued. "This time, you're to follow orders."

"Sir?" O'Neill asked, confused.

"This time, you bring Daniel Jackson back with you."

"Yes Sir!"

Sam and Jack gave each other a relieved look, and walked quickly down to the gateroom.

"What was all that about?" Kawalski asked when Jack and Sam joined him at the bottom of the ramp.

"That? Oh, just Hammond warning me and Carter to play nice," Jack told him, grinning.

"Alright people," he called, "Move out!"

Ferretti went up the ramp first and walked without hesitation through the gate. The rest of the team followed a little more reluctantly however, until just Kawalski was left standing next to Jack and Sam at the bottom of the ramp.

"Captain…" Jack said.

"Don't worry Sir, I won't let you down" Sam told him, but Jack noticed that she was gripping her P-90 a little tighter.

"Good. I was going to say Ladies First." Jack told her in an attempt to lighten her mood. She smiled at this and Kawalski chuckled appreciatively and jogged up the ramp and through the gate.

Jack started up the ramp, and Sam followed him slowly.

"Don't be scared Sam," Jack whispered when they reached the event horizon. "It's a piece of cake."

"I'm not scared Jack," she whispered back. "I'm in awe. I mean. the amount of energy the gate must release to create a stable wormhole… it's astronomical to use the right word." She reached out to touch the silver surface, and gasped. "You can actually see the fluctuations in the event horizon…"

Jack rolled his eyes. He truly loved Sam, but his mind actually shut down when she started on in scientific terms. He could sense another technobabble speech coming on, and decided to act before she got going. He pushed her shoulder a little, causing her to stumble and step forward and through the gate.

Then, Jack closed his eyes and braced himself as he too stepped through and felt the familiar pull…

…………

So, what do you think?

Oh, and by the way, I know nothing of guns, so I don't know if the gun that Sam has in COTG is a P-90. I've read a few Stargate books, and in many other fictions people have mentioned P-90's, so I'm just borrowing them. If I'm wrong, I apologize.


End file.
